Jeter's Leaders meet with Merrill LynchContributions from Dianne, New York Jeter's Leaders member since 2011July 2012

On July 16, 2012, the new inductees and rising sophomores of the Jeter's Leaders program traveled as a group to the Merrill Lynch office in New York. The Jeter's Leaders were invited to hear from employees in various departments of the company. Some of these presenters included Joseph Zerillo, Mark Benedetto and Erin Distler.

Mark Benedetto, the assistant vice president and operations consultant, was the first to welcome and speak to the Leaders. Mr. Benedetto has been with the company for more than 20 years. He emphasized the family atmosphere that Merrill Lynch offers to all its workers as one of the reasons he has been there for so many years. He then stated that Merrill Lynch has many divisions and that he was in charge of interviewing the financial division's prospective workers. When looking for new candidates, Mr. Benedetto looks for strong and enthusiastic personalities that would fit in well with the company.

One of those strong and enthusiastic personalities that Mr. Benedetto hired is Erin Distler, a client advisor with the company. After Mr. Benedetto, Ms. Distler also spoke to the Leaders about her position within the company. Her job is to talk to the clients on the phone and give them advice on how they spend and invest their money. She also described the journey she took to make it to Merrill Lynch. She stressed the importance of internships during college and discussed her own internship experience with Merrill Lynch during her undergraduate years.

Other employees and financial advisors addressed the Leaders and discussed different careers within the company. Among those presenters were two men who talked about a project called, "New York Says Thank You." Many Merrill Lynch employees take part in this program as a way to help out communities in need throughout the United States. Each year a different community that was devastated by disaster is chosen as the location, and volunteer firefighters from across the country, as well as Merrill Lynch employees, go to that community and try to make a positive change.

After the presentations, the Jeter's Leaders discussed their program and their favorite aspects of the program. When the Leaders were finished, they took a tour of the floor and offices where all the work takes place.

The event was a great experience for all involved. The Leaders were able to learn a lot listening to the many speakers. The Leaders felt very inspired to continue to work hard after hearing from very successful professionals in one of the world's leading financial management and advisory companies.

Jeter's Leaders celebrate at Annual BanquetContributions from Dennis and Ashley, New York Jeter's Leaders members since 2012June 2012

A joyful event took place on June 29, 2012, at the Prospect Park Picnic House in Brooklyn, N.Y., when the Jeter's Leaders and their families came together to welcome the new inductees, celebrate accomplishments of current Leaders and bid farewell to the graduating seniors. Each year the banquet serves as an end-of-the-year celebration. This event was hosted by two current Jeter's Leaders, Karina and Aaron.

The event began with all the Leaders receiving a certificate of completion in CPR and First-Aid training, which took place on May 12 as a way to get to know the new inductees and promote the importance of safety. As the ceremony continued, several Leaders gave speeches spoke to the audience about the activities they took part in throughout the program year. Later, an awards ceremony took place where the Leaders were rewarded for attendance, promoting social change and community service, being positive role models, individual dedication to the program and its values, and for excelling in academics.

The awards ceremony was one of the most touching parts of the banquet, as many of the parents were able to share joy and pride with their children for all their hard work throughout the year. The awards weren't just for the current Leaders; the new inductees also received their highly anticipated Jeter's Leaders jerseys, T-shirts, a letter from Turn 2's president Sharlee Jeter and Derek's autobiography, The Life You Imagine. The new executive board for the upcoming year was also announced after the awards ceremony.

The banquet was a great way to celebrate the accomplishments of the graduating seniors. They received gifts, certificates and their earned $3,000 stipend from the Turn 2 Foundation for completing the four-year program. They also received personal messages from current Leaders wishing them good luck in college. The night ended with the DJ playing music while Leaders, old and new, danced and chatted.

Jeter's Leaders meet YCLA leadersContributions from Chyla, New York Jeter's Leaders member since 2011May 2012

The Young Civic Leadership Academy (YCLA) is a program that empowers low-income and minority youth as community leaders to influence positive changes in their lives and communities through active and responsible participation in local, city and state government. On their way to their annual trip to Albany, N.Y., to meet with government officials, the young leaders of the YCLA stopped by New York City to meet the New York Jeter's Leaders. They were able to talk about their goals and aspirations and about the similarity of their programs in wanting to influence positive change in their communities.

Throughout the day, the Jeter's Leaders and leaders from YCLA exchanged ideas on the future, leadership, issues affecting teens today and views on life. Both groups also got to know each other better by sharing life experiences and taking part in teambuilding activities. Both the Jeter's Leaders and YCLA leaders learned different things from each other. Both agreed that connecting with a group that comes from a totally different surrounding than their own is a good thing for teenagers to experience.

Both leadership programs walked away from the meeting with a better understanding of the opposite group and a different way of looking at being a leader and how to change different communities. Many of the leaders from the program said they hoped to stay in touch.

Jeter's Leaders meet Goldman SachsContributions from Kamillah, New York Jeter's Leaders member since 2011May 2012

On May 19, 2012, the New York Jeter's Leaders participated in Goldman Sachs Community Team Works Project at Yankee Stadium. The event allowed a group of Goldman Sachs employees to spend a day volunteering and mentoring the New York Jeter's Leaders. Community Team Works is Goldman Sachs signature volunteer program that was started over 15 years ago.

The Leaders and Goldman Sachs employees met outside the stadium a few hours before the first pitch. They enjoyed breakfast together and then the Leaders heard a very informative presentation by a wealth strategist about financial literacy for young adults. The information was good to hear for the Leaders, especially the upper classmen who will be heading off to college soon and have to start thinking about dealing with student loans and credit-card offers.

After that presentation and a brief Q&A, the Leaders gave a brief presentation about the Jeter's Leaders program. They discussed the reasons they joined the program, what they gained most from the program and also discussed their future aspirations and goals.

After the presentation it was time to relax and watch the baseball game. During the game the Leaders and Goldman Sachs employees had the opportunity to get to know each other better. It was a great time for the Leaders to pick the brains of very successful people in the financial field.

The event was a great success as the Goldman Sachs employees were able to offer much advice to the Leaders and mentor them on ways to achieve your goals while enjoying a fun baseball game.

Jeter's Leaders receive CPR and First-Aid trainingContributions from Samuel, New York Jeter's Leaders member since 2011May 2012

On May 12, 2012, the New York Jeter's Leaders took part in a CPR and First-Aid training certification course administered by First Response Advantage, Inc.

The Leaders learned how to perform CPR on adults, children and infants from an instructor from the American Heart Association and some of her colleagues. The Leaders also learned how to put on a protective mask and ensure that they take necessary precautions when entering an area of a person in danger. As the group moved further into the day, they learned how to perform the Heimlich maneuver. For this part of the session there were no dummies, the Leaders had to work with each other to practice. This gave each Leader a sense of trust because they had to make sure their partner didn't fall.

The last part of the training was the First-Aid component. The Leaders watched videos with simulated situations which taught them how to react in times of danger when someone is in trouble, and what the proper steps to take are until the arrival of a medical professional. The video covered different scenarios that can happen at work, home or anywhere.

Thanks to this event, all of the Leaders became CPR and First-Aid certified. All Leaders involved agreed that it was a very informative day and gained a very important tool in life.

Kalamazoo College presentationContributions from Jovon, New York Jeter's Leaders member since 2010April 2012

On Saturday, April 28, 2012, the New York Jeter's Leaders invited Katie Williams, an admissions counselor from Kalamazoo College, to speak about the many educational opportunities Kalamazoo College has to offer. Ms. Williams' visit was a follow-up to the visit the New York Leaders made at Kalamazoo in April 2011.

Ms. Williams brought with her many informative brochures and booklets that she distributed to the Leaders. She went through the brochures and presented an information session about what the school offers its students and the different majors and minors available. With more than 50 majors and 60 minors, this school appealed to many of the diverse interests of the Leaders.

After the information session, the Leaders were able to ask any questions they had about the school regarding admissions, tuition, financial aid, campus life and undergraduate courses and programs. After the Q&A, Leaders who knew little about the college certainly left informed.

"The Kalamazoo College presentation was very informative and insightful. It allowed me to further learn what the school has to offer, "said Tyreece, New York Jeter's Leader since 2009.

Overall, the Kalamazoo College presentation was very helpful for everyone involved, and definitely a school many of the Leaders will now consider when applying to colleges in their senior year.

Spring Into College TourApril 2012

The New York Jeter's Leaders traveled down south to explore colleges and universities in Georgia on their annual Spring Into College Tour from April 9-12, 2012. Stops included Clark Atlanta University, Georgia State University, Morehouse College, The Georgia Institute of Technology, Emory University and Spelman College. During each visit, the Leaders were able to tour and explore the campuses and speak to current students about their college experience. Tours were also given by New York Jeter's Leaders Alumni. Hosting college tours is always a great way for the Alumni to stay involved in the program.

Before heading back to New York, the Leaders were able to take a special trip and visit the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site in Northeast Atlanta. The visit to the site allowed the Leaders to learn more about and honor one of the most important men and times of American history.

It was a wonderful ending to a very special and educational trip for all the New York Leaders. They took advantage of the trip by learning about some great colleges and exploring important historical locations in Atlanta.

The man behind the IVY KeyContributions from Seeta, New York Jeter's Leaders member since 2008March 2012

On March 24, the New York Jeter's Leaders welcomed guest speaker Mr. Jae Gardner, the founder of the IVY Key SAT Test Prep Program. Mr. Gardner's presentation was unlike any other the Leaders have seen. Mr. Gardner's message was not only about the creation of IVY Key, but about his goals and the struggles he faced throughout his life.

Mr. Gardner has a very outspoken personality, and the Leaders were very inspired by him. He went to Harvard at the age of 16 and graduated from the school with honors. Early on, Mr. Gardner started off by tutoring a group of students for free. It was the joy of seeing the kids succeed that made him happy. He knew from that moment that tutoring is what he wanted to do and even today, he continues to see his students' minds grow. His business picked up and now he is teaching in more than 200 different schools and reaching 1,000 students a week.

Mr. Gardner had many words of wisdom that he shared with the Leaders. One of the most important things that he stressed was based on his own experience -- failure will happen. In life, one is bound to fail at some point. Failure is inevitable, face it were all human. However, one must know how to handle it. A person needs to rise above failure and ask them self, "How can I improve the next time?" Rising above failure only makes a person a better leader because they will have overcome those roadblocks they were faced with.

Another piece of advice was that everyone struggles every now and then, so it is important that one helps their neighbor. Mr. Gardner stated, "Life means nothing if you don't help the person next to you," which was a very influential statement that all the Leaders found encouraging. One can interpret this to mean that it is very important to help another person because in the long run, it will only benefit you.

As the presentation was coming to an end, Mr. Gardner wanted the Leaders to recognize that everyone will doubt you out at some point, but make sure no one ever counts themselves out.

"By the end of the day when you are succeeding in life everyone, will be right there waiting for you to fail," he said. "You have to keep your head up and make sure that your best is good enough."

Overall, Mr. Gardner's presentation was inspirational, motivating and intriguing. After the meeting, many of the male Leaders took a strong appreciation of the conversation and now look to Mr. Gardner as a mentor and role model.

College is for everybodyContributions from Sydni, New York Jeter' s Leaders member since 2009March 2012

The United Negro College Fund/Sharlee Jeter Scholarship is a partnership between the Turn 2 Foundation and the United Negro College Fund. This scholarship provides multiple Jeter's Leaders graduates with $7,500 per year for four years to assist with the cost of attending a Historically Black College or University (HBCU). To inform the Leaders of this scholarship and the other offerings of the organization, UNCF Area Development Director Leslie Andrews hosted an open discussion on March 3, 2012.

Leslie Andrews made a special visit to New York from Detroit to inform the Leaders about everything UNCF has to offer. Ms. Andrews touched on many different topics, which ranged from admission requirements, college life and making the most of yourself in college and in a professional career. She also talked about enrollment and networking capabilities after graduation.

The conversation started with Ms. Andrews speaking to the impact UNCF has and is making in various areas through scholarships, internships and networking events. Of the many scholarships she oversees, Ms. Andrews stressed the Leaders to learn more about the UNCF/Sharlee Jeter Scholarship offered only to students who have graduated the Jeter's Leaders program and another scholarship called the UNCF/Gates Millennium Scholars Program. This Gates scholarship is one of the most competitive of its kind in the country for minority students. This scholarship program is for students that are challenging themselves academically and personally no matter the struggles they live with on a daily basis.

As she spoke more with the Leaders, Ms. Andrews explained her education background and her professional experience. Ms. Andrews enlightens many high school students throughout the country about the multiple ways they could afford higher education, that is no longer a privilege, but more so the new standard in today's economy. As she related it to her middle and high school experience where she endured difficulty staying focused, she was able to stay focused on creating goals for herself. A stern talk from her mother was also able to make her college years at Spelman College the most productive ever.

Many of the Leaders were intrigued by Ms. Andrews' open-minded personality. She helped prove that students were able to make it through anything as long as they had a specific goal to achieve. The Leaders appreciated the meeting with Leslie Andrews and wish to see her again to pick her mind about her future plans in her role as a student advocate and product of HBCU schools.

Preparing for a disasterContributions from Amy, New York Jeter's Leaders member since 2009February 2012

The New York Jeter's Leaders took part in a disaster preparedness presentation hosted by Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health on Feb. 24. The speakers, Meagan Berliner and Karen Levin, engaged the Leaders in a lively and active discussion about the National Center for Disaster Preparedness (NCDP) 5 Steps of Personal Preparedness. NCDP was established following the domestic attacks of 2001, in response to the urgent need for a knowledge-based approach to disaster preparedness. The Leaders were informed and taught what to expect if there was a natural disaster, how to compose a plan in case of such emergencies and how important it is to have such a plan in place. These plans were ultimately made of five different actions.

The first step is to make sure that one is aware of their surroundings and knowing the risks at all times no matter where a person is. The second is to make sure to secure enough food and water. In an emergency situation refrigeration will not be available. Therefore, it was advised to store canned food and fruits. "Just make sure you remember the can opener though."

Most of the Leaders were quite surprised when they were told that for every person and pet in their household they should store about 3 gallons of drinking water, in addition to water needed for other things, like cooking and cleaning. As well as food and water, the Leaders also learned that they should have other necessities in their emergency kits such as first aid kits, spare cash, identification documents and a filled out reference card with phone numbers on it.

Before the speakers departure the group was reminded to take initiative and spread the information that they gained from the presentations to their own communities. These communities are any group of people that the Leaders engage with, they can be as vast as school and church, and as narrow as just friends and family. The Leaders were given a certificate upon the completion of the presentation, as a token of recognition for their newly found knowledge.

Jeter's Leaders visit Siena CollegeContributions from Karina, New York Jeter's Leaders member since 2009February 2012

Each winter break the New York Jeter's Leaders program hosts a local college tour. This year, the group visited Siena College on a two-day trip from Febr. 22-23, 2012. Siena College is an independent Roman Catholic liberal arts college in Loudonville, N.Y.

Siena is a four-year co-educational college founded on the Franciscan tradition, by the Franciscan Friars in 1937. Throughout the trip many great hosts enlightened the group on what makes Siena different and unique from other schools. During the visit, the Leaders had the opportunity to meet and hear from representatives of various departments of the school such as Joseph Fitzgerald, assistant to the vice president of Academic Affairs; Tony Rivera, assistant director of Admissions; and Kevin Mullen, president of Siena College, among many other prevalent members of the Siena College staff.

Many interesting facts were provided to the Leaders about the school. The group learned that the most popular majors offered at Siena College include marketing business management, accounting, psychology, finance, and English and literature. They also learned about the cost of education, the athletics offered and the diversity on the campus. Aside from learning about the many offerings of the school, all the Leaders had the opportunity to have a tour of the campus. The Leaders felt welcomed and were impressed with the student life. It had a positive energy and many people gave the group a substantial amount of information about their experiences at Siena. The school was great for students interested in a small, well-rounded community of higher education.

One of the group's favorite parts of the visit was the panel discussion where Siena students spoke about their experiences of student life on campus and the different programs and majors they participate in. Each panelist said that Siena was the best choice they ever made. As a member of the group, I am glad the Leaders were able to visit this school due to the fact that it is committed to fulfilling their mission of making sure students get the best opportunities and education possible. Everyone enjoyed the experience, and many members are interested in applying to Siena school in the near future.

Express yourselfContributions from, Rafael, New York Jeter's Leaders member since 2008February 2012

On Saturday, Feb. 4, 2012, the New York Jeter's Leaders participated in a presentation directed by Urban Word, an organization based in New York City dedicated to helping students find mediums to express themselves in a wide variety of public speaking formats and venues. Urban Word mentor Mahogany Browne, who presented to the Leaders last year, returned to follow up her work and further improve their public speaking and increase critical thinking skills. She led them in finding topics that were especially relevant to their lives and making them publicly state these facts for their fellow Jeter's Leaders to gain a better understanding about each other on a deeper level.

The Leaders had a number of events during the program year which established their present and future interests. They were given a number of examples from both their peers and Ms. Browne; a number of which were actual aspects from the Jeter's Leaders mission dedicated to civic and community service. Some Leaders chose topics that were more attributed to their personal adversities and found things they had in common with other Leaders. These verbal and non-verbal poetry expressions helped the group come together and understand what their values should be for the rest of the year.

The group was also able to obtain more information about spoken-word contests and opportunities to express themselves locally and globally; this with the added experience of performing in front of larger audience and communities to share their message with was very beneficial to all the Leaders. These opportunities made the Leaders feel encouraged to involve themselves in more social change activities. Ms. Browne made it clear that these open-microphone events allowed entire communities to share in the "urban word" vision and perspectives given by many different types of people.

At the end of the meeting, everyone was asked to present something that had represented the small groups of 4-5 Leaders. The Leaders, after being given a demonstration of how to conduct their presentations, all spoke of topics that they personally resonated with. They also enjoyed a poetry show from Mahogany, who presented one of her published compositions. This personal insight inspired some of the Leaders to continue their endeavors to become better creative writers and public speakers to this date.

The Leaders left the discussion with a greater understanding of their issues and how they would like the world to understand and perceive those issues, something that they are still using today, no matter where their work with the Turn 2 Foundation takes them.

Giving back to the community during the holiday seasonContributions from Kanard, New York Jeter' s Leaders member since 2010December 2011

The Jeter's Leaders pride themselves in their ability to promote social change throughout different communities and inspire people to believe that everybody has the ability to make a difference. The Concourse House, a shelter for women and children in the Bronx, allowed the Leaders to spread joy to the children that live there. The Leaders went to the house to spread happiness and joy to the children and also to give them holiday presents.

The first task was to procure the list of what each child wanted for the holidays. Once the Leaders received the list, a shopping day was scheduled. The shopping carts contained all sorts of toys, including Barbies, action figures, reading books and stuffed animals. All of the Leaders were having a good time, laughing with each other and exchanging their thoughts on the items on the list. After shopping, the group went back to the Turn 2 office and wrapped the presents. This was a total team effort, helping each other wrap efficiently and carefully to make sure the children had a nice holiday season.

The day finally came to visit the Concourse House to give the presents to the children. Everyone knew that it was going to be a great day! As the children were called up to the stage to get their gifts, they simply couldn't control their excitement! The Leaders felt proud to see how happy they made the children feel. They also gave each child a copy of Derek Jeter's children's book called, You're A Star. All the families thanked the group and were very thankful for the gifts. Throughout the time at the house, the Leaders interacted with the various families and gained insight as to why they were at the shelter, which added a more meaningful purpose to the project.

The Leaders felt they succeeded in giving these children an enjoyable time and felt pride in the social impact they had during the season of giving. Their duty as Jeter's Leaders is to inspire younger children, but this activity also inspired the group to push themselves to be better and do more for others around them. As a result, many of the Leaders have continued to work with the Concourse House on a volunteer basis.

The Jeter's Leaders Program consists of a select group of high school students that are committed to leading and promoting healthy lifestyles, as well as achieving academically and improving their communities. Most importantly, the youth learn to develop their leadership skills and how to act as role models to their peers and younger students. Over the past year, two outstanding New York Jeter's Leaders have displayed exceptional and consistent leadership qualities. Each has exhibited a positive attitude under adversity, morality when making decisions, and stood up to challenges when needed. Their outstanding leadership qualities have also been recognized by their peers and consequently, they have all been named to leadership positions within the New York Jeter's Leaders Program. The Turn 2 Foundation is proud to recognize the following Jeter's Leaders, Karina and Tyreece, and thank them for their hard work and dedication as positive youth leaders.

Karina, Class of 2013
Karina, a junior at Mount Saint Ursula High School in Bronx, N.Y., has been a member of the New York Jeter's Leaders program since 2009. Since graduating from Sacred Heart Middle School in 2009, Karina has regularly returned to the school to speak to current students about living a healthy lifestyle and achieving academically. Her message is clearly heard and has truly inspired more youth to continue their goals. Karina joined the program to improve her community and develop as a leader. Serving as the 2011-2012 New York Jeter's Leaders co-president, Karina continues to lead her fellow Leaders, as well as the youth in her community.

Tyreece, Class of 2013
Cardinal Hayes High School junior Tyreece joined the New York Jeter's Leaders in 2009. Since his induction, Tyreece has consistently been chosen to serve as a spokesperson for the program due to his strong sense of living a healthy lifestyle and passion for community service and social change. In 2010, Tyreece served as a co-host for Movado's Night of Discovery event and later that year, performed as the Master of Ceremonies at the Jeter's Leaders Annual Banquet. Most recently Tyreece served as the only youth representative on the Association of Alcoholism & Substance Abuse Providers (ASAP) of NYC Adolescent Youth Conference to speak about the Jeter's Leaders Program and his experience in combating drug and substance abuse among teens and younger students. Tyreece, who shares the co-president title with Karina, views the position as a great opportunity to step up and lead his peers.

The New York Jeter's Leaders visited four universities in the Boston area during a trip to Massachusetts. Members of the Jeter's Leaders Alumni, who attend the universities, even lent a helping hand to lead most of the college tours.

The Leaders headed out early in the morning on Sept. 28, 2011, and arrived at Boston College before noon. The Leaders were given a tour of the beautiful campus by current undergraduate and New York Jeter's Leaders Alum Jean Vargas. After making their way across campus and seeing the amazing buildings, the group gathered in a lecture hall to attend an information session hosted by the director of admissions. The session allowed them to gain valuable knowledge for prospective students, as well as ask the Director questions about the admissions process.

Then Leaders headed off to Boston University, where they enjoyed lunch at the George Sherman Student Union Dinning Center and were impressed with the wide variety of available cuisines. Lunch was followed by a tour of the student dorms and academic halls. One of the more resounding memories was the strong and prideful history of Boston University's alumni list; one of which includes Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

The next day, the Leaders set off to visit two more universities. The first, Northeastern University, is a college that many Jeter's Leaders either attend or have visited for three weeks during the summer through the Summer Discovery program. Upon arrival, the group met with another New York Jeter's Leader Alum Emani McKnight who gave them a tour of the campus. After the tour they attended an information session and participated in a Q&A discussion with the Program Director of Northeastern University's Torch Scholars Program. The Torch Scholars Program provides opportunities to students who have overcome exponential odds and who demonstrate the potential to excel academically. The session motivated the Leaders and sparked their interest in the program, especially since two former Jeter's Leaders were accepted into the program; Simone Vareikaite and tour guide for the day, Emani.

The two-day trip concluded with a visit to Wheaton College, a private liberal arts college in Norton, Mass. The students were treated to a tour of the entire campus by Aaron Sultan, a 2010 Jeter's Leaders graduate. Aaron showed the Leaders the benefits of Wheaton and attending a smaller school. He gave a thorough tour and showed complete passion for his university!

After a busy two days, the Leaders headed back to New York and enthusiastically discussed the possibility of attending one of the New England schools. The tour was a great experience for all involved!

Jeter's Leaders meet U.S. MarshalsContributions from David Squires, Jeter's Leaders member since 2009September 2011

On Saturday, Sept. 10, 2011, the New York Jeter's Leaders met three members of the United States Marshals Fugitive Task Force. Commander Lenny DePaul, Detective Roxanne Lopez and Senior Inspector Mike Romani each visited the Leaders and spoke to them about their careers and experiences as U.S. Marshals. The Fugitive Task Force is assigned with tracking some of the most dangerous fugitives in the country. To add, they each also star in the reality television show, "Manhunters", which follows them along as they track down these elusive and dangerous criminals.

Commander Lenny DePaul started by introducing himself and the other marshals. He also briefly spoke about his path to Commander of the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force. After enlisting with the U.S Navy at age 17, he spent five years with the U.S. Secret Service, and then joined the U.S. Marshals in 1989. Currently, he is in charge of leading his team after violent fugitives and bringing them to justice. Many times these manhunts have led them all across the country and even to far parts of Puerto Rico.

After Commander DePaul spoke to the group, Senior Inspector Mike Romani discussed his role as Senior Inspector of the U.S. Marshals Sex Offender Investigations Branch. Inspector Romani cautioned the Leaders on the possible dangers of online predators and how they use technology to lure unsuspecting victims. Inspector Romani gave the Leaders some informative advice and helpful tips on how they could navigate social media websites in the safest manner possible.

Finally, Detective Roxanne Lopez talked to the Leaders about her career with the U.S. Marshals and how she became interested in law enforcement. Detective Lopez grew up in a tough neighborhood and always wanted to work in a field that would help make her community safer. She encouraged the Leaders to stay in school, and stay physically active if they would like to pursue a career in law enforcement.

The day ended by the Leaders asking the marshals some highly anticipated questions about their careers. Commander DePaul explained that he enjoys the fact that his career has allowed him to travel to various parts of the country, but also admits how dangerous and time consuming this line of work is. One of the Leaders asked, "How does this job affect your everyday life?" Commander DePaul said, "The job is hard, you're going to travel, and not going to see your family a lot, but it is all for a good cause. Taking someone down gives you the feeling that you did something right."

The Leaders all enjoyed the presentation and look forward to hearing more about their task force progress in the future.

Since its launch in 1996, the Turn 2 Foundation has awarded more than $23 million to create and support signature programs that motivate young people to turn away from drugs and alcohol and "Turn 2" healthy lifestyles. Learn more »

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